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Hi,
I should be accepting a 46pz85U tomorrow from the shipping service. I am an AV novice but I would like to learn more about how the set should be set up and perform tests that might interest you all (as AV experts). I am willing to post pictures or whatever from what I get.

If anyone is interested in helping me learn a bit about my display and in return getting some information about the new model just post a possible test/results scenario. A link to a pretty standard, acceptable (free) calibration method would be helpful.

Got my TH-46PZ85U this morning. I connected my Pioneer DV-59avi DVD player via HDMI. The picture is amazing. I've been flipping between 480i and 1080i. I think I prefer the 480i feed better which tells me the Panny does a better job at scaling. Does anyone know which chipset the 85U uses for scaling? Thanks.

P.S. - I have yet to do the same standard def test with my cable box. The high def feed is superb. Caught some of 2001: A Space Odyssey earlier today, the details in the blacks were great using the preset Cinema setting and the additional Dark setting. I have yet to run my AVIA & Essentials DVDs to tune the picture but I'm pretty happy with it out of the box.

Got my TH-46PZ85U this morning. I connected my Pioneer DV-59avi DVD player via HDMI. The picture is amazing. I've been flipping between 480i and 1080i. I think I prefer the 480i feed better which tells me the Panny does a better job at scaling. Does anyone know which chipset the 85U uses for scaling? Thanks.

P.S. - I have yet to do the same standard def test with my cable box. The high def feed is superb. Caught some of 2001: A Space Odyssey earlier today, the details in the blacks were great using the preset Cinema setting and the additional Dark setting. I have yet to run my AVIA & Essentials DVDs to tune the picture but I'm pretty happy with it out of the box.

Can you take some photos of the unit? shots of the inputs, the bezel, side/top/front, etc?

Got my TH-46PZ85U this morning. I connected my Pioneer DV-59avi DVD player via HDMI. The picture is amazing. I've been flipping between 480i and 1080i. I think I prefer the 480i feed better which tells me the Panny does a better job at scaling. Does anyone know which chipset the 85U uses for scaling? Thanks.

P.S. - I have yet to do the same standard def test with my cable box. The high def feed is superb. Caught some of 2001: A Space Odyssey earlier today, the details in the blacks were great using the preset Cinema setting and the additional Dark setting. I have yet to run my AVIA & Essentials DVDs to tune the picture but I'm pretty happy with it out of the box.

Interested in your testing, this is probably going to be my next set. It may just be the best value out there.

Does the 42px85u do anything with 24fps? The Panasonic website says it "accepts" 24fps but it doesn't appear to actually display 24fps? It looks like only the step up model to it does.

That's correct: only the 800/850 will do a proper 24p display (at 48Hz). The lesser models - PX80, PZ80, PZ85 - all do a 2:3 cadence at 60Hz. At least here in the US; apparently all the new European models do 2:2, darnitall.

From what I recall reading (sorry, don't have the links), the PZ80 and PZ85 will do 3:2 pull-down on 1080p/24 signals. That is, they are refreshing the display 60 times a second, and so they will show one frame 3 times, the next 2 times, etc in order to emulate 24 fps.

Meanwhile, supposedly the PZ800 can display at 48 Hz, and thus show each 1080p/24 frame twice.

Main difference is shuddering effect when the camera pans -- makes the panning smoother looking.

It definitely isn't. I think the photos that were released are shot from an angle the makes the speakers look like the protrude more than they do. Also, the photos make it look dark grey but mine is gloss black so it doesn't stand out as much. I'll post photos later today, my camera battery needs charging.